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Unfiltered: A Celebration of Wine on the Edge

Saturday, July 25 & Sunday, July 26, 2026
Hosted at Donkey & Goat Winery · Berkeley, CA

 

60 of the region’s most dynamic natural and low‑intervention winemakers. The festival brings together the full spectrum of winemaking, from small, avant‑garde producers pushing boundaries to long‑standing legacy wineries that have shaped their regions for decades.

Panel discussions throughout the weekend invite deeper dialogue, offering insight into the philosophies, challenges, and innovations shaping the future of wine and the culture it supports. Local chefs provide tasty bites, and ambient vinyl sets the tone for an intimate, engaging experience.

Capacity is intentionally limited to foster connection, discovery, and conversation. Leading up to the festival, Unfiltered‑related events featuring participating winemakers will take place throughout the Bay Area.

‘Unfiltered: A Celebration of Wine on the Edge’ is building on last year’s success, and working closely with Bay Area retailers with the goal of converting festival visibility into measurable shelf presence and distribution for small producers and legacy wineries. This event is about building continuity for independent wineries.

Schedule
Industry Tasting: 12:00–1:00 PM
General Admission: 1:00–5:00 PM
After Party: Sat & Sun 6:00 PM–9:00 PM at Vintage Berkeley (Vine Street Store)

TICKETS & PRICING
One day ticket – $65
Full Weekend Pass – $95
(D&G Club Members and Vintage Berkeley Club Members get 20% off tickets
Want more info? Learn about our Wine Clubs!)

For Saturday, July 25th – purchase here
For Sunday, July 26th – purchase here
For Full Weekend Pass – purchase here

Looking for accommodations? Use the Visit Berkeley Sponsored Booking Link for the DoubleTree, Berkeley.

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PARTICIPATING WINEMAKERS
(Note: Each day features an entirely different line-up of wine makers)

2026 Unfiltered Winemaker to Watch:
Alli Badar, Inter Tidal Wines

PANEL DISCUSSIONS

Saturday July 25

Breaking the Champagne Spell: California’s Great Sparkling Wine Experiment
Jared Brandt, Brad Kurts (Gloria Ferrer), Michael Cruse, Chris Cottrell
Moderated by Matt Wood of The Indie Wine Podcast

From Chad Hinds’ ‘Psychic Terroir’ to Vinyl Listening Bars: Recentering The Experiencial Value of Wine Through Music
Chad Hinds (Village fm), DJ D’Aramis Byrd (EDEN wine events), Issamu Kamide  (Wonderwerk), Tony Ferraro (of Village Wine Bar in Vallejo and touring member of Toro y Moi)
Moderated by Wolfgang Weber

An Essential and Elusive Grail: Imagining the Future of California Table Wine
Stephanie Bolton, PhD (Lodi Wine), John Locke (Birichino), Shaunt Ongoulian (Populis—Les Lunes)
Moderated by Gilian Handelman, Sr. Vice President of Education, Jackson Family Wines

Sunday July 26

Natural vs. Conventional: Where Is The Line and Why Does It Matter?
Joe Davis (Arcadian), Nicole Walsh (SER Wine), Brent Mayeaux (Stagiaire), Sydney Rogers (Opus One)
Moderated by Jared Brandt, Co-founder of Donkey and Goat

The Lodi Effect: How Did Lodi Become a Hotbed for Creativity in Wine?
Drew Huffine (Trail Marker), Sabrina Tamayo (Ruby Blanca), Jakes Des Voignes (Heleje), Ann-Marie Koth (Mokelumne Glen Vineyards)
Moderated by Maryam Ahmed of Maryam + Company

What Makes A Great Wine: Restraint versus Risk
Brent Mayeaux (Stagiaire), Angela Osborne (A Tribute to Grace), Gideon (Clos Saron), Randal Grahm (Bonny Doon), Kimberly Charles (President and Founder, Charles Communications Associates)
Moderated by Chad Arnold, GM and Head Buyer at Paul Marcus Wines

UPCOMING UNFILTERED EVENTS

5.27 Elizabeth McQueen @ D&G
5.28 Donkey & Goat + Outis at Vintage Berkeley Elmwood
6.13 Ettellia at Vintage Berkeley, Vine Street
6.14 Wine for Change with 280 Project, Matt Niess, Coral Wang and David Salazar
6.26 Madson Wines at Vintage Berkeley, College Ave
6.26 Bedrock Wine Co at Vintage Berkeley, Vine Street
6.26 Trailmarker Wine Co at Solano Cellars
7.9 D&G Ever After Wine
7.24 Frenchtown Farms solano cellars
7.11 Vino in Piazza — From Italy to California with Brad Friedman and Pietro Buttitta at 54 Mint
7.12 Megan Bell, Alli Badar and Casey Hogue at D&G
7/13 at Village fm in Vallejo: Unfiltered with Coral Wang, Justin Ward and Tiffani Patton
7.17 Joseph-Jibril at Vintage Berkeley Vine
7.18 Fres.co at Goodtimes
7.24 Ian Brand at Vintage Berkeley Elmwood
TBD Isa Wines at Vintage Berkeley Vine
Matt Crutchfiled at Vintage Berkeley Vine
Caleb Leisure, Cole Thomas & Evan Lewandowski at Goodtimes

Presenting Sponsors: Donkey & Goat, Visit Berkeley, Vintage Berkeley, The Indie Wine Podcast
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